The Principalities of Glantri
Overview A country run by Wizards. Glantri is enclosed between two major mountain chains, the Khurish Massif and the Wendarian Range through which several major rivers have carved wide valleys, which are densely inhabited. Forests cover the majority of the mountain lands, while the hills are a herbalist's treasure trove, rich in plants that range from the uncommon to the legendary. The valleys, on the other hand, have been cleared for farming. History Timeline 3000 BC: Great Rain of Fire; Blackmoor is obliterated. Survivors of the elven colony in Blackmoor flee into the newly-formed Broken Lands and below the surface. Temporary ice-age in Glantri. 2200 BC: Some elves break off from Ilsundal's migration and eventually find their way to the frozen valleys of Glantri, where they settle. A few survivors from the second migration from Vulcania also reach Glantri and settle among their cousins. Among these migrants are the Truedyl clan (ie, the future Gentle Folk); another clan will eventually become the Icevale elves. 1700 BC: The elves discover some kind of device from Blackmoor that had survived the cataclysm and experiment with it. The device explodes, devastating the area that will later be called the Broken Lands. At this point, the elves disappear underground, becoming the Drow. 800 BC: The ice finally recedes to the north of Glantri. c.528BC: A few Sheyallia elves, fleeing the Serpent Peninsula and the Plain of Fire, settle in Glantri. 395 AC: A bunch of Alphatian fire magi arrived. These Alphatians call themselves "Flaems", and after arriving in Glantri to settle they discover a second Blackmoor device that also survived the cataclysm. This device is actually the engines of the Beagle (the ship that crashed into Mystara and kick-started the Blackmoor technological development). This one doesn't blow up. Instead it radiates a strange magical force that the Flaems call "The Radiance". Glantri is ruled by a Council of Dukes and Wizards; Seven Duchies under the jurisdiction of an Archduchy. 400 AC: The Flaems discover that other, enemy Alphatians are in possession of the mighty Alphatian Empire to the east. 450 AC: The city of Braejr is built. 495 AC: Glantri is now a kingdom. 525 AC: Joint expedition with Darokin into Broken Lands; Chief Sitting Drool is captured. 526 AC: Peace treaty between Sitting Drool's hordes and Glantri/Darokin. 595 AC: Ethengar raiders oppose the Flaemish in numerous skirmishes; the Khan's horsemen are driven out. 645 AC: Ethengar attempts a major invasion but is defeated at Skullhorn Pass. 662 AC: The Flaemish attempt to invade Ethengar, but the expeditionary force is utterly massacred in the steppes. c.700AC: Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany is born. 700 AC: The Erewan faction of the Erendyl clan leaves Alfheim for Glantri. 720 AC: Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany is cursed by Alphaks and becomes a nosferatu. 728 AC: The d'Ambrevilles and their vassals arrive from Old Averoigne, establishing a French-like culture in the wooded valleys of northwestern Glantri. Rumours of good lands in western Glantri lure the disgruntled Thyatian survivors of destroyed Alasiyan colonies. They decide to pioneer there. 730 AC: Settlers come to Glantri; frictions between Flaems and settlers. The Flaems are racially prejudiced against the paler skinned newcomers, and try to drive them out. Settlers to Glantri include fair elves, and humans from Traladara and Thyatian colonies in Ylaruam. 743 AC: The d'Ambrevilles bring more settlers from their mysterious homeworld. House Crownguard also uses this magical passage to Glantri. 784 AC: A Thyatian settler kills a Flaemish lord; war is declared. 785 AC: Battle of Braejr; settlers are driven south of the Vesubia. 786 AC: An Alphatian general called Halzunthram arrives and takes the side of the newcomers. The Flaems are pushed back to a small area of the country, and Halzunthram declares the whole country to be part of Alphatia. 788 AC: The Flaemish are defeated at the Battle of Braastar; Halzunthram captures the council; Glantri becomes an Alphatian dominion; elves become independent; the Flaemish revolt. The Treaty of 788 gives the south to the elves, the north to the Flaems, and the west to other settlers. c.800AC: Fernando de Casanegra is born. 802 AC: Dwarves arrive due to rumours of gold in the mountains of the region and a plague strikes drastically reducing the population. Years of Infamy. Plague is sent by the Immortal Yagrai, spreading to Glantri. 805 AC: Dwarves fleeing the anti-dwarf policies of Glantri establish small communities in the mountains of Nagpuri, Gunjab, and Peshmir. 812 AC: Carnelia de Fedorias is born. 828 AC: The dwarves are expelled and Lord Alexander Glantri ambushes Halzunthram; the Alphatians are defeated, marking the end of the Forty Years War. Many dwarves depart on Guild ships to join the craftsmen of the Minrothad Isles; they settle on Fortress Island. 829 AC: The war ends with Lord Alexander Glantri (a human of Thyatian descent) killing Halzunthram and the Alphatians surrendering. 845 AC: Construction of the Great School of Magic. Etienne d'Ambreville discovers the Radiance, and uses it to attain Immortality. 858 AC: Nobility reserved for wizards only; council members gain the hereditary title of Prince. A simple council of all ten princes, with a complex system of vote weighting based on the amount of land and titles each of the ten has. c.867AC: Gilles Grenier is born in Old Averoigne. 859 AC: Illegal nobles are expelled and the wizards crush a minor rebellion. The end result is a country made of ten principalities, each of which has people from a different place. They all speak the same language, but have different customs and dress and the like. 875 AC: The School of Magic is completed. 884 AC: After much strife, the Elven Principality divides into Erewan and Belcadiz. 888 AC: Igor Gorevitch-Woszlany is born. 898 AC: New immigration wave; the population mixes freely; frictions decrease. 911 AC: Carlotina Erewan is born. 920 AC: Economic agreement signed between Glantri and Darokin, allowing free passage for all merchant caravans. Business is booming in Glantri City. c.925AC: Uthar Aendyr is born. 927 AC: Brannart McGregor is born. c.930AC: Volospin Aendyr is born. 934 AC: Harald of Haaskinz is born. 935 AC: Frau Hildegarde is born. c.940AC: Glantri arranges an exchange treaty with the goblins of High Gobliny, under the rule of King Oth. 943 AC: Rolf von Graustein is born. 945 AC: Jaggar von Drachenfels is born. 958 AC: Jherek Virayana is born. 960 AC: Margaret of Hillsbury is born. 961 AC: Kol XIV is born. 962 AC: Innocenti di Malapietra is born. 968 AC: Urmahid Krinagar is born. 970 AC: Marchioness Mariana Terlagand dies; Guildmaster of Spokesmen, Meister Rannigar Budulug and his accomplice, Narda Shelyn, conceal this fact from the public. c.970AC: Thar imprisons Baroness Myra McDuff, has a child by her (Angus McDuff/McClintock), and slays her. Forces from Ft. Nordling drive him and his army back into the mountains. Myra becomes a ghost and perpetuates the belief that she still lives. c.975AC: Igor Gorevitch-Woszlany flees Boldavia, having betrayed a number of Prince Morphail's vampire pawns to a pair of paladin vampire-hunters; he adopts the cover Erik Helsing. 979 AC:Chateau d'Ambreville is destroyed, and the House of Sylaire erected in its place. Sire Malachie du Marais and Dame Genevieve de Sephora enter Glantri from Old Averoigne. An epidemic of wolf lycanthropy begins. 980 AC: Arbana Jerbat come to Glantri to live out her old age; in reality, she is an Alphatian spy sent to keep an eye on Prince Aendyr. 982 AC: Sire Malachie du Marais wins control of the Barony of Morlay deep within the Valley of Wolves. Juliana Vlaardoen is born. 983 AC: Prince Morgaithe von Drachenfels dies, leaving his heir, Jaggar, to take up his title. 985 AC: Founding of the Canine Protection Society in Glantri. 988 AC: Lathan Aendyr is born; Bartolomeo di Malapietra is born. 989 AC: Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels marries Frau Gertrud, in order to more firmly unite the factions of the family. 990 AC: Don Sancho de Belcadiz is born; Angus McGregor is born. 991 AC: Carnelia de Belcadiz y Fedorias becomes Princess when her father dies and her husband goes missing. 994 AC: Several victories against orcs from the Broken Lands earn Prinz Jaggar the title of Warden of the Marches. Sean McAllister is born; Thylera Aendyr is born. 999 AC: Dona Maria de Belcadiz marries Don Carlo, constable of New Alvar. The Principalities Aalban Populated by humans of Thyatian and Alphatian origin. Belcadiz Populated by dark haired elves from the continent of Davania. the Belcadiz stole a cutting from the Erewan Tree of Life, creating a source for the animosity between the two clans Bergdhoven Populated by Flaems. Blackhill  Populated by humans of Alphatian origin. Boldovia Populated by humans of Traladaran origin and Flaems. Their leader is a nosferatu (Strahd) Caurenze Populated by humans of Thyatian origin. Erewan  Populated by tall fair elves from Alfheim. Klantyre  Populated by people from the same parallel world as the d'Ambrevilles, but from that world's Scotland. Their prince is a lich, powered by The Radiance. Krondahar  Populated by humans from Ethengar. Nouvelle Averoigne  Populated by people from a parallel world. Their leader is Etienne d'Ambreville, who gained Immortality (and is known as Rad) but keeps this secret and uses his mortal form. Religion The only religion permitted in Glantri is the Temple of Rad. Although Rad is an actual Immortal (he's the alter ego of Etienne d'Ambreville), this temple doesn't actually have any clerics. Instead it has "Shepards" who are actually magic-users. Clerics of other religions are referred to as "heretics" and being discovered to be a cleric or druid is a capital crime. Merely being a non-clerical member of another religion is punished by torture followed by imprisonment as long as they feel necessary. However, there are a small number of Ethengarian clerics who operate secretly in Krondahar. Laws Any non magic-user being presumed guilty unless proven innocent if accused by a magic-user of any crime. Naturally, magic-users are exempt from "misdemeanor" level crimes so they can insult each other or disturb public order or lie to magistrates and constables as much as they like, although even they can be punished for more severe crimes - unless they manage to escape justice for seven days, after which all crimes are wiped from the books. Statue of limitations is at best less than a month, even for crimes like murder. There are only two exceptions...treason and tax evasion. Princes are completely immune to the law in their own domain, and can do whatever they like. Glantri City Overview Criminal conspiracies in the Glantri City underworld (the place has canals like Venice so moving illegal cargo always involves unloading boats at the waterfront even in the heart of the city, which is fun) Great School of Magic The Radiance The source of The Radiance is stored under the Great School of Magic. Apparently it's a a set of three nuclear reactors that used to power The Beagle, although it's been altered in some unspecified way by Immortals from the Sphere of Energy so it doesn't give of normal radiation but some magical variety. Magic-users can use this energy to enhance their powers - or even use it to become Immortals of the Sphere or Energy with neither quests nor sponsors! However, when they discovered what the Immortals from the Sphere of Energy had done Immortals from the Sphere of Entropy corrupted The Radiance so that it also has a chance of crippling or even killing the magic-users who study it. Those who die from this become zombies or liches depending on how powerful they were in life. just a ton of adventure hooks from descriptions of student prank wars at the Great School of Magic, quests into the wilderness for rare spell components for the wizard-princes (the book gives some great practical examples), to the cold war between the two Elven clans (who each have their own terrorist group, the Elven Liberation Front and the Free Armed Elven Resistance Youth), a variety of secret societies and groups of enemy spies, etc, Yeah. Mentioned in a sidebar ("Prince Jagger is also the High Master of Dracology.") is the fact that Prince Jagger von Drachenfels is also the Star Dragon, ruler of all Lawful dragons, whose stats are given in the Master set as an epic-level threat. (This is not spelled out, but it's implicit in the abilities of Dracologists and Jagger's Lawful alignment. And a later GAZ references it so even if it was an unintended consequence of bad editing, they canonized it later.) This guy could give Rad a run for his money in the sheer power department. Alfheim, Darokin, Karameikos and Wendar are the only countries Glantri has a good relationship with. Jaggar Drachenfels is carrying a piece of Blackmoor tech on him. Princess Carnelia is a Grand Master with the rapier(sword), and the Belcadiz elves have a tradition of dueling with rapiers to the death. * guilds/groups/cabals: the Canine Protection Society(equal rights for lycanthropes!), the Followers of the Claymore(the fighter revolution is coming), the Free Fundamentalist Farmers(the nobles may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom), the Movers Guild(to get your PCs into an adventure), the Monster Hunters' Union, the Ten Thousand Fists of Khan(which needs to have some mystics/monks along with clerics in there), the Thugs's Guild(again from the Masters set) and the Professional Gondoliers Union(no it isn't listed but we do know there are over 350 of these guys working the canals of Glantri City, and everyone else has a union). Somebody figured out how to control a blackball in Glantri, or at least make it docile. Rad is hiding something from his fellow Immortals. Outside Nouvelle Averoigne One is around 80% lycanthropes (or maybe that's just its capital city, I forget) with the non-lycanthropes being aware of the situation and treated as allies. The domain's lord is trying to foster acceptance of werewolves and hopes to one day become a full-fledged Principality which can be open about it. (To that end he cracks down heavily on lycanthropes that feed on humans in his territory, and it's noted that he has to import a lot of game...)